The Bachelor Host Jesse Palmer & His Wife Emely Welcome Their First Baby

Bachelor Nation has a new member, and she may be its most adorable addition. On Jan. 11, Bachelor franchise host Jesse Palmer announced that he and his wife Emely had welcomed their first child together, a baby girl named Ella Reine Palmer. And thankfully, she wasn’t born during the Golden Wedding.

The couple announced their arrival in a joint Instagram post, sharing a selfie from the hospital room, with their newborn daughter cuddled up against her mother.

“Our worlds have been forever changed,” Jesse wrote. “She’s finally here… Ella Reine Palmer. Our hearts are overflowing with love and gratitude.” He ended his post with the hashtags, “#Love #Family #Baby #Parents.”

Jesse and Emely announced to PEOPLE that they were expecting their first child in August, later sharing their pregnancy photos on Instagram. “We’ve been keeping a secret,” she wrote. “Our family is growing and our hearts are so full! This is a dream come true for us and we’re so thrilled to be welcoming our baby girl in January 2024.”

The couple began dating in 2017 and got engaged in 2019. They got married in 2020 in a small ceremony due to lockdown restrictions and held a second wedding two years later.

The Golden Wedding Dilemma

The couple’s due date ended up unintentionally aligning with Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner’s wedding to winner Theresa Nist, which aired live on Jan. 4. Jesse was able to attend the nuptials and host the special, but warned that he may have to leave abruptly.

“On a personal note, I actually wasn’t sure that I was going to make it here tonight,” he revealed during the television special. “And that's because my beautiful wife Emely is at home right now and we’re expecting the birth of our very first child at any moment. Seriously, it could happen tonight.”

If she went into labor, the plan was for Jesse to leave immediately and let the red carpet hosts, Golden Bachelor alum Kathy Swarts and the most recent Bachelorette Charity Lawson, take over.

“So Emely, I know you’re at home watching. I love you so much. I miss you,” he continued. “Please call me if you feel anything.” Luckily, they made it through the two-hour special without her water breaking, though he had a quick sign-off to end the show.

“I’m Jesse Palmer, and I gotta get out of here because I’m about to be a dad,” he said. “Emely, I love you. I’m coming home right now.”